Wednesday December 25, 2019
MOGADISHU (HOL) - State elections in Galmudug have been hit by another obstacle following a new tussle between the Sufi group Alhu Sunna Wal Jama’a and the elections technical committee over the criteria of selection of MPs for the new parliament.
The Committee released new guidelines for the elections among them age limit of 25 years for potential candidates, possession of high school certificate and certification of non-criminal record.But Alhu Sunna rubbished the conditions noting it does not recognize the committee. “The committee named by the Federal Government does not have the authority over the choice of the 20 members by Alhu Sunna,” a statement from the group read in part.
The government should honor its part of the deal, the group which had been at loggerheads with Galmudug administration until last December said. The group released its list of 20 MPs on Sunday drawn from 12 sub-clans in Galmudug.
In a deal with the Federal Government early this month, Alhu Sunna was allotted 20 seats in the 89-member state assembly for the life of the next parliament which lasts for four years.
The dispute over the new conditions by the polls body is likely to affect the elections timelines relased by the committee last week. According to the timetable, the selection of MPs was set to commence on December 24 through December 30.
A new president is set to be elected January 9 based in the electoral timelines.